by our College Data Analytics Team
[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a special education degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where special education graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose special education graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Gonzaga University the top school for special education graduate earnings in Washington. Set in the city of Spokane, Gonzaga University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career special education graduates from Gonzaga University make a median of around $68,277 per year.
A rank of #2 makes Central Washington University one of the highest-paying schools for special education. Located in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a public institution. After graduating, special education degree recipients from Central Washington University typically earn about $64,230 annually.
Western Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying special education schools. Western Washington University is a public school located in the city of Bellingham. Students who complete the special education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $66,702.
Eastern Washington University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in special education, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a public institution. Special Education graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of about $58,104 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries special education graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.